Casualties
by AnvilBlue
Summary: A story of one young ferret as he finds himself thrown into a battle against the hares of Salamandastron. A story of what's lost and found in war. (part one finished at 10k words)
1. 01 Numb

Disclaimer: I don't own Redwall or any characters by Brian Jacques  
  
Part One- Before. . .  
  
I'm lying across from it, a great spear into the sky; it stands illuminated by the rising sun, standing proud and forever. I look down to my legs swirling in the water, blood seeping from my wounds to dye the water red. I guess I should feel lucky that I can't feel them or anything much except for the splitting headache that keeps me from just giving myself to a peaceful rest. I've heard that your supposed to see your life before you die and that's what I'm afraid of. To see the faces of pain and anguish, the faces of hatred and anger swirling before is my greatest fear, I'm not scared to die being as close as I am. All I want to see is her lovely face again instead of what I see down the beach lying face down in the water dead with an arrow through her.  
  
"Come on . . ." I try to scream at the sea, at the mountain and anything else in what remained of my voice, I hoped somebeast would come and end me. "End this . . ." I almost find myself pleading for an end as my body numbs over, I can't feel anything, but the pain inside. Of course my voice is really nothing more then a hoarse whisper so it doesn't carry death back to me, I almost feel disappointed.  
  
"Blighters couldn't take us wot?" I can hear them down the beach laughing at the carnage they have given, stopping only to mourn the passing of their own. They kick corpses to make sure they're truly dead and gone from this world forever, they laugh and make jibes at the dead making light of the blood-stained earth and vermilion seas. I can feel the arrow through my shoulder again now as some of the numbness fades, I guess this world isn't done with me yet.  
  
"No I say they couldn't old chap." They're drawing nearer and pretty soon I'm probably gonna be the butt of some sick joke, maybe my head will be on a stick as a warning or something like that. I'd only heard stories of these warriors, most said they have honor, although others painted a different picture.  
  
"Look one of them is still up and about, well . . . if that arrow weren't there." One of them, a girl is looking down into my face with a look of disgust; I just look away, close my eyes and hope it will be quick.  
  
"Slay him gel." One of them shouts as he fades into the distance, I open my eyes to find that I'm alone with her, I look up into her face. She seems rather young to b one of the warriors, but I don't care, death is death I suppose although life is a living death now. I look over to the floating form of Celeste, she is drifting of to sea, I'll be with her soon hopefully, I look up at the figure standing above me expectantly looking for a dawn blade or something, but she is looking at the body as it floats. Quickly she runs over and flips her over and looks, after a moment a look of sorrow replaces the disgust.  
  
"Too much . . ." She murmurs softly and walks back to me, by now I can feel enough of my body to be groaning softly in pain. My voice is strangled and is finally lost in a fit of coughing, blood splatters from my mouth onto the sand and almost onto the girl's foot as she jumps back to avoid it.  
  
"Do it . . ." I demand in what's left of my voice, I look at her with impatience as she kneels down before me and removes a bag that looks suspiciously like a medical bag. She was no warrior; she was only a young maid, probably a healer to. Unlike the battle hardened warriors she was innocent, not used to the death and results of war. She looked as if she tasted a meal for the second time and about to lose whatever she'd had for lunch. As ridiculous as it sounds the thought made me hungry, I was lying on the ground hungry about to die, as a healer looks at me with pity. She starts working on me is silence for some reason, I wish she would just leave me to die. I was close enough.  
  
"Don't worry . . ." My vision slowly began to fog into a white blur as she bandaged and worked with herbs, Celeste would know more about it then me, she was a healer too. I laughed at this healer softly.  
  
"Don't waste time on me, I want this now . . ." I pleaded as she faded from my vision clouded over and quickly turned from a blinding white to pitch black. With that the memories began to flow through my mind freely and my fears were realized. Well, I thought, here's my life . . . 


	2. 02 Seasick

The deck swayed slightly below my feet, on a great ship as the one I was on one was deceived as the sea raged outside. It great bulk didn't sway as much as the smaller ships. I stood guard in the galleys hearing the rhythmic sounds of a whip being cracked upon the torn backs of oar slaves. I let myself pity them a little, but I kept in mind that these were not children nor were the old beasts incapable of such labor, they were warriors, prisoners of war at my homeland. We had left its ravaged shores for brighter horizons east of us in the fabled lands of Salamandastron and Loamhedge. The stories were many seasons old so we had no real idea what we were sailing into and no beast preferred to think about it.  
  
"Come ye maggots, put yore backs into it!" The driver called as his lashed out skillfully with the whips I winced slightly at the crack, I couldn't ever get used to it though I've been here long enough. Not too many of our crew had much experience with slaving or slaves in general. Out of a crew of about three hundred only about sixty or so were experienced in the ways of slavery and ship beasts. My friend, a fellow ferret like myself named Jerome, stood next to me staring mostly at the floor unable to look the slaves in the eyes, another of the slavers, a stoat, stood near us sniggering at the cracks of the whip.  
  
"You okay?" I asked Jerome quietly so the stoat couldn't hear.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm definitely no sea beast." He whispered back, then he looked up and swallowed back what I could tell was vomit, he hadn't gotten his sea legs quite yet so he was usually pretty green looking and was almost constantly choking back his lunch. He was the butt of the slavers jokes who laughed at our inexperience; Jerome's light tan fur didn't help disguise it so he was almost constantly being made fun of.  
  
"You'll get used to it or we'll have to throw ye overboard." I grinned slightly trying to cheer him up, the galley's were an especially depressing place especially to me, if I had a choice I free them and row myself, but then again it wasn't my ship.  
  
"Not funny." He glared at me darkly, but at least he was sort of distracted from his sickness.  
  
"You should go see Celeste." Celeste was one of our beasts, a ferret like us with rich dark-red fur, she was the healer and medical advisor to our whole crew. She was good at it too. The door swung open to admit a pair of weasels wearing thick saturated coats, rain swept in through the door soaking anything by it, the weasels struggled to close the door before turning to us.  
  
"Yer relieved mates." They gave us their coats and took our weapons to guard the slaves with.  
  
"You really need to see Celeste." One of them commented on seeing Jerome lovely shade of green.  
  
"I know." He croaked as he struggled into the coat, I draped my arm over his back and led him out the door into the storm, rains crashed across the deck and amidst it I could hear instructions being shouted over the howling winds.  
  
"Keep 'er steady there mate." A voice recognizable as the leader of the slavers, Ulnan could be heard commanding his crew as we struggled across the deck. It the warms confines of the crew quarters at the rear of the ship just above the kitchen and dining halls. Halfway across the deck Jerome lost his stomach over the side of the ship into the sea as we struggle along the strong wooden rails of the ship. Finally when got there we collapsed into the small entry cabin where we hung up the coats to dry in warm air created by the kitchen fires.  
  
"Good thing we don't 'ave to do that again for a while." I murmured as we sat exhausted by the swirling winds, the slow rocking of the ship was starting to make me sick so I got us up and down into the dining hall where most of our crew was massed for dinner.  
  
"You okay Hale?" Jerome asked in a low voice as we sat down, I turned away from his.  
  
"Probably better then you, you're a green ferret." I grinned openly at Jerome, the green had begun to fade from him a bit and he turned a pale white. "You have got to go see your sister soon. Medicine will do ye good." We were served quickly and watched in amusement as old fools got to drunk and sang horribly mangled songs while crashing into walls. Very soon though this was to end however. 


	3. 03 Healing Medicine

Outside I heard the storm let up after I had sat in the hall laughing at the antics of our drunken shipmates as well as the entertainment of our resident singer and healer Celeste who had taken my friend Jerome to our mediocre sick bay. I peeked outside to find that the skies had quieted and the blanket of rain had been pulled away from our ship, the seas were rather calm and I looked in every direction to see clear expanses of blue ocean stretching forth into the horizon meeting with the sky in the distance. I looked about the ship to find that the slaver crew was running around cleaning up the mess from the storm, it had lasted a few days so there was minimal damage to the sails and such.  
  
"C'mon mates get those sails patched and flyin' again." I heard their captain urging them on as he worked along side him, I found myself admiring him a little, but in that moment the faces of the oars slaves passed before my eyes. I shook my head a little to rid myself of the images.  
  
"You okay Hale." Jerome appeared beside me opening the door forcing me out onto the deck where we stood among the rushing crew of slavers.  
  
"Yeah." I answered quickly and looked over to find him looking a lot better then he had been, he was dressed in a clean tunic unlike mine, which was still soaked from our change of shifts in the galleys.  
  
"You don't look so good, you ought to go see Celeste." He smiled slyly and pushed be back below the decks into the dry halls, we passed the door to the hall and kitchens onto the white painted door of the infirmary. He shoved me inside and held the door closed.  
  
"Jerome!" I yelled as I banged on the door with my fist.  
  
"Hey Hale, Jerome bein' a jerk again?" Celeste appeared from the small closet she used for her herbs and such, the infirmary also led to her room.  
  
"Oh . . .uh hi Celeste." I stuttered nervously looking at the beautiful ferret, she caught my eye and I quickly looked to the floor, unfortunately I couldn't keep her from noticing the blush that spread underneath my fur as I stood my voice caught in my throat.  
  
"I'm gonna get you little brother!" She called at the closed door and we heard Jerome take off down the hall and most likely into the crowded dining hall. "So how are you and the little maggot."  
  
"Well . . ." I began, trying not to stutter. "I'm pretty good and whatever you gave the maggot really helped." I joked shyly.  
  
"That's good. So I assume he shoved you in here for a reason. How are you feeling?" She asked a note of motherly concern in her voice as she sat me on one of the bed, I felt grateful that the room was empty.  
  
"He thought I looked ill, but you're the healer." She grinned at my response and began checking me, she looked into my throat, my ears and everywhere while nodding and assuring herself.  
  
"You look fine to me, so if your all right would you like to go get something to eat with me a little later in the hall?" She sidled up to me on the bed and put her arm around me snuggly.  
  
"Yeah! I um . . . I mean sure, that sounds great." I mentally berated myself for being so excited like it was the first meal after a seven-season famine.  
  
"See you later." She led me to the hall and softly kissed me on the cheek before closing the door in my face leaving me with a paw over my tingling cheek. Down the hall a few of the crew whistled their approval and grinned wildly.  
  
"Way to go Hale! It was so beautiful!" One of them, a tall lanky weasel who was very, very drunk began to cry onto the shoulder of his friend, a short, fat rat who just shoved him up roughly.  
  
"Don't cry all over my clean tunic, my wife will kill me." He whined as brushed the shoulder while glaring at his companion. He was still supporting the weasel that immediately fell unconscious onto the rat's shoulder's snoring heavily. Laughing I went and helped him put the weasel onto his bed where another weasel, one I knew to be called Aurora who was the weasel's mother began fussing over him as we left.  
  
"Another tunic ruined by this son of mine. Anybody want to trade spawn?" She yelled out into the hall eliciting a few laughs from the other females.  
  
"You going to check outside, this break probably won't last you know?" The rat asked as he hurried up onto the deck, I followed closely and when we got to the door we could hear screams and shouts outside, the rat quickly pushed the door open only to stumble back an arrow transfixed in his chest. 


	4. 04 On Deck

I opened the door to find the deck splashed with blood, beasts lying slain across it sliding with the slow rocking of the ship as chaos reigned upon the ship. I quickly shut the door as three fiery arrows streamed towards it hitting the closed door; I dropped back into the hall to find the rat lying dead, the arrow had found its mark in his heart. I looked down the hall; they were all unaware of the danger outside.  
  
"Attack! We're under attack!" I yelled down the hall and a scattering of beasts piled into the hall in a confused clump.  
  
"From who?" One yelled pushing towards the armory where I was heading, I swung open the door and took my favored weapons, which consisted a crossbow and arrows, spear and at large shield. I loaded the cross bow and hurried past a stream of beasts pushing for the armory. I got to the door and opened it slowly, while holding the shield that thankfully covered myself entirely, another group of lit arrows clacked off the shield metal front extinguishing themselves in the water soaked deck. I looked to find a ship along the side us, much smaller, but packed with beasts all armed to the teeth with cutlasses and bows.  
  
"Everybeast under cover!" I heard Ulnan shouting to his crew who stood in the cover of the tiller housing with little to no weapons between them, most had tools though, but between the thirty or so of them only about fourteen were truly armed. I peeked around my shield to find that we were battling a veritable horde of sea rats, the ships looked to be half the size of ours, but it was double crewed making our numbers close to even.  
  
"Surrender yer ship n' booty ye scurvy dogs!" One sea rat, a captain yelled before unleashing a fire arrow into the sails, which fortunately for us were too soaked to be lit aflame. I ducked back behind the shield in time to avoid two unlit arrows whiz past me into the ocean on the other side of the ship; I peered back into the ships to find a horde of my crew waiting armed.  
  
"Don't come up without a shield." I warned them and several with shields similar to mine moved to the front.  
  
"Who are we fighting Hale?" A stoat named Florin asked as she held her shield out in front of herself; she was armed with a long curved sword and a crossbow.  
  
"Sea rats." I answered malice in my voice, I began crossing the deck with the shield until I got to the tiller house, Florin and two others followed suit and we were all behind the construct soon. "What are your orders, captain?" I asked while saluting quickly.  
  
"You two get to the side and start returning fire." He motioned to Florin and I and then turned to the other two behind us. "You two cover mi crew so they can get armed and ready, I'll be damned if their kind is getting' my ship." Ulnan ordered, he was armed with a crossbow and a cutlass, the two behind us began moving the crew towards the entrance to the bowels of the ship while Florin and I moved quickly to the side of the boat using the side for cover. We fired into the crowds of rats upon their deck, we were sure to hit no matter where we aimed as tightly packed as they were.  
  
"Fun ain't it?" She asked me grimly. The ship moved closer to our side and we could see they were preparing to board, they felt that with their numbers they could overwhelm us.  
  
"Yeah." I fired and arrow into the crowd and saw a rat fall over the edge into the briny blue with a soft splash, I felt sick when I looked over to find a weasel next to me blood streaming from his mouth and numerous arrows in his chest. I shot another arrow and took a quick glance at their ship before retreating behind my shield. I saw a still lit arrow stuck in Florins shield. "Hey Florin." I called to her in a whisper.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Their sails are pretty dry don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah what about it?" She shot another arrow into the horde falling two rats with deadly accuracy. "I figure they might want that arrow stuck in your shield back." She glanced at her shield to find the flaming arrows stuck in it, with a grin she caught on to my plan. 


	5. 05 Through The Haze

"I reckon your right Hale." She pulled the arrow from her shield careful not to extinguish the flame and loaded it on her crossbow; she pulled it back and grinned. "Do you think the sails would be the best place?"  
  
"Oh that's the best place." I grinned back while firing my arrow into the crowd before I saw Florin arrow streak through the sky in a high arc into the sea rats sails, not only igniting them, but ripping a hole down the middle as well and as luck would have I it fell into a rat as well.  
  
"Nice shot!" I exclaimed looking at the damage one arrow could cause, the rats were in a panic trying to put out the sails while still firing at us.  
  
"Lots o' luck for that 'un." She looked on in disbelief, unfortunately the sea rats were determined and a long, wide plank fell between the ships giving them passage to our ship.  
  
"Charge!" Screamed their captain as he urged his crew onto our ship, Florin and I scrambled for the door to find ourselves surrounded by a mad charge of our crew. The ship was flung into chaos as beasts stabbed slipping on the soaked deck. Blood ran freely onto the deck staining in red, I flung myself into the battle as well tackling several rats to have our crew stab down ending their miserable lives forever.  
  
"Ulnan!" Ulnan crew charged into the fray with a ruthless efficiency surprising the horde with their experience, many of the rats fell to the slavers. I was parrying blows fro all sides with both end of my spear fighting to keep them upon the top decks, I could see that I hit not only the rats back I knocked down some of my own crew by accident in the mad chaos.  
  
"Retreat!" One of the sea rats yelled as he ran across the plank, in the brief pause that followed the rat fell dead off the plank pierced by an arrow as the rats looked to their ship to find it engulfed in flames, they licked at several barrels which seemed to be full of lamp oil. Seconds later they disappeared in a fiery explosion and sent wood flying down on us in a fiery rain as the battle went on under a veil of fire and smoke.  
  
"Aaahhh!" I heard screams of terror and pain throughout the deck as I stumbled around choking on the noxious smoke, tripping over the lifeless bodies of rats, weasels and all manner of beasts. I heard the sounds of battle, we were winning, beasts lay on the ground in agony from burns and wounds as hot ash rained from the sky. I tripped over a body and found myself staring into lifeless eyes, the once bright eyes of my friend. The now cold eyes of a ferret formerly known as Jerome, then the world decided to leave me in suspense, a large chunk of wood rain down square upon my head knocking me into the grasp of unconsciousness.  
  
" . . .Insane, wot if the lord finds out wot yore doin' Meryl?" I found myself looking at a blurry room, I couldn't feel anything, my body was completely numb. I glanced around to find a hare bustling around a small hare maid as she worked across the room.  
  
"I know what he'll do and I don't care, I'm taking care of him, it's my duty as a healer." I saw her blurry figure stand eye to eye with the male, who quickly disappeared as a wave of black clouded over my vision leaving me with a few words.  
  
"Then yore responsible gel." With that I felt myself lapse back into my previous life with all the pain flooding back into my body and soul. 


	6. 06 Waking

I found myself waking up again to find a blurry room, my head ached and throbbed, but all I felt was the horror of looking into those eyes. To know something was missing and then to realize what it was that was missing, thinking about it made me sick, the life was gone. I could have thrown up if my body had allowed, but I just lay upon what must have been a bed staring at the still blurred wood ceiling, reflecting on the chaos.  
  
I'd never been in any real war, in any conflict I was normally far removed sniping with a crossbow or perhaps just a simple bow and arrow. Now I had seen it close up, the splash of blood upon the ground, the screams of agony, it was all just too much. I fell off the bed as I regained some control over my body and vomited uncontrollably upon an area rug and fell into a limp heap.  
  
"Why?" I heard a soft muttering from across the room, my vision began to clear a little and I could see her, beautiful even in her tragedy sitting on a bed crying. Her eyes were red from tears, I wished to get up and comfort her, but all I could do was stare up from the floor. She wiped her tears quickly and got up, she knelt by me and propped me up against my bed in silence, I just lay limp in her arms as she cleaned me off again.  
  
"No beast knows Celeste." I saw her mother come in to comfort her daughter, they hugged and cried into each others fur for a few minutes as I slowly felt my body again, weakly I climbed up into my bed away from the foul smelling mess upon the floor.  
  
"Why Jerome, he never hurt anyone." She cried out and she was right, although we were good friends, Jerome had been too young to fight in any battles, he'd never seen battle before at all. At least I took comfort in the fact that he never would have to suffer.  
  
"I know baby." Celeste's mother held her on her lap as she sat on a bed comforting her gently. "But he wouldn't want you wasting tears on him. He'd want you to be happy." Celeste nodded and wiped tears from her eyes and tried to rise weakly. As she regained her composure her mother left the room, my eyes clear I could see that we were in the infirmary alone.  
  
"She's right you know." I told her as she bustled around the room, distracting herself as I felt the strength flowing back into my extremities.  
  
"I miss him so much." She broke down upon my bed shaking with grief, crying softly into my fur; instinctively I put my arms around her and held her as her mother had. She slowly stopped shaking and lay still in my arms nearly sleeping, silent tears felt from her eyes still. I softly cooed to her, reassuring her that everything would be all right, I hoped I would be right.  
  
"I love you Hale." She whispered softly and snuggled into my side still crying softly.  
  
"And I you Celeste." I whispered back as I kissed her softly upon the cheek, I felt her chest rising slightly with each breath, I sat stroking her fur and then laid her down to rest. Sleep overcame me and laid down next to her our hand intertwined, she felt so soft, so fragile next to me I was almost afraid to break her. Like she was some beautifully fragile flower I had in my arms. I wish I hadn't been so wrong and yet so right about her. At least we had some time left. 


	7. 07 Proud and Forever

"Wake up!" I feel a spear butt jab be in my ribs, I up immediately groaning, Celeste was still asleep and I glared at the weasel, one of Ulnan's crew.  
  
"What do you want?" I hissed and got the spear in my face.  
  
"Ulnan wants every able bodied beast on the deck before him right now." He ordered and thrust clothes and some weapons into my arms.  
  
"Why?" The weasel sighed and leaned on the wall.  
  
"Durin' the battle he caught one of those filthy sea rats, it told 'im 'bout all the booty to be had at Salamandastron. It set something off in him, seems he wants the booty and since most of yer crew got wiped by that explosion, he took over." The weasel held the door open, as I got equipped as quickly as I could trying not to disturb the stick sleeping Celeste.  
  
"I take you dun like it." I observed while struggling with a tunic.  
  
"I'm no warrior, I'm just a navigator. This ain't 'ow I'd like to about things, but I ain't gonna challenge Ulnan." We left the room together, I followed close behind and upon the deck we found ranks of about ten by ten standing at attention in front of the tiller house.  
  
"Is everybeast 'ere an' accounted fer?" A female stoat whom I recognized as Ulnan's mate as well as his strong right-paw called into our ranks as we stood.  
  
"Aye!" A loud murmur sounded, slightly depressed save for a few excited voices I couldn't place.  
  
"Salute!" She called as her husband cam out atop the tiller house to stand battle ready, clad in armor with a long sword strapped at his side.  
  
"We're nearin' the western shores and Salamandastron. I have information that within the mountain is great treasure. If we can take its all ours!" He yelled to us and on cue we cheered. I felt sick, we'd gotten out of one danger to throw ourselves into another obvious danger, and most of us had heard the legends of Salamandastron. The badger lords and his long patrol were said to be completely unassailable forces upon their native western shores.  
  
"We're dead mate." I whispered to the weasel who had woken me up.  
  
"Aye. Dead as can be mate." He nodded half-heartedly as Ulnan went on promising victories, treasure and power in the new land, I found myself thinking only of Celeste and what fates could befall us if I died or worse yet if she died, I couldn't go on without her.  
  
"How far do you think he'll go?" I asked still thinking of Celeste seeing visions of her alive and well and then as dead as the planks below us. She was my family, my links to the happiness and joy in life, I had to get us out of this.  
  
"As far as the gates o' the dark forest." He replied miserably. As soon as Ulnan finished his speeches I hurried to the infirmary to find Celeste gone and her mother crying on the bed.  
  
"What's wrong?" I was panicked.  
  
"Ulnan already has her, she's going to be in the field as a healer. Go to the front of the ship and you can see it, the badger's mountain." She cried into the bed as I shot up to the front of the ship to find it looming in the setting sun, standing proud and forever. I looked to the top tow find a great beast silhouetted by the fires of the mountain looking down upon us, they were ready, and I most definitely wasn't. 


	8. 08 A Single Cry

Darkness had long since claimed the future battlefield by the time our ship had run ashore, I had on a long spear, armor and a shield that could thankfully cover me, twenty or so of our crew jumped into the shallows and secured the ship while the others and I assembled before Ulnan, who stood atop our ship, his features menacing in the torch light. I glanced around for a sign, any sign of Celeste and I saw her with a medical sack and a large shield, she had know weapons and no real need of one for she couldn't use one anyway with her limited skills.  
  
"You six." We could hear him talking to somebeast up on the ship. "Stay and if the battle goes against us kill them." My stomach turned as I realized whom he meant, the oar slaves who we still bound in the galleys were to be killed. I hadn't thought Ulnan would be so cruel and cold; he would murder helpless beasts regardless of the lives they could live. I forced my attention back to Celeste, my plan was to fight my way to her and get away from here as fast as I could, mayhap we could live happy somewhere.  
  
"Feel it?" The weasel that had woken me a few hours later was next to me.  
  
"What?" I whispered, I still didn't know his name, but that wouldn't matter much longe.  
  
"The wind, its colder'n death here. As the lord said 'Death is on the wind'." He explained and then stuck out his paw.  
  
"Hallan." I shook his hand, might as well make the best of the worst, I thought.  
  
"Hale." He smiled a little smile, knowing of his quite certain future.  
  
"We should get out of her you know?" Ulnan was making battle plans and speeches, which we completely ignored already aware of everything, in fact Ulnan was giving false speeches in case of any spies.  
  
"How?" I asked curiously.  
  
"Just up and leave, I'm gonna come back and grab my sister from the ship before we're all dead beasts, she's got too much life left to die now." I could see tears in his eyes as he probably thought the same thoughts as I was about Celeste.  
  
"I'm with you." I answered with determination in my whispers.  
  
"Grab yore girl and go, we should try east into the forest." That was all he said before everybeast fell silent and looked left to the mountain south of us to find the beach lit by bonfires and a badger with seventy or more hares at his back, more were positioned upon the mountain armed with bows. There weren't any tactics for this battle, this was a straightforward war, kill or be killed.  
  
"Eulalia!" We heard the massive battle cry from the patrol and saw them standing waiting for us to move, a few archers took pot shots at us that fell pitifully short into the sand.  
  
"Charge!" Ulnan charged snapping us from our trance, I ran along in the middle and saw Hallan fall back to the ship, I changed my focus to the battle and brought my shield up while keeping my eye upon my prize, Celeste who was hurried along farther up back by several stoats who were well armed.  
  
"Come vermin!" The long patrol streamed forward into us creating an instant melee, kill or be killed, blood splashed unto the sandy ground beneath us, I couldn't see any victors just death in the madness.  
  
"Stay n' fight ye jolly old fleabags." A young seeming hare slashed at my shield with a long rapier, it clacked off with no effect. I threw the shield to the ground in frustration after trying to use it and my spear in union, finding it exceedingly difficult. I parried his thrusts with the long metal spear. Neither of us wore down, but with my attention divided I was having trouble.  
  
"Jolly nice day for a battle wot!" I mocked the hare; he struck out with the sword while disciplining me with his free paw.  
  
"Isn't nice to mock sir, but yore right. Nice night." I took my attention away for a moment to glance over to Celeste, she lay nursing somebeast, still covered by the stoats who numbered only three now, the others lay in the shallows littered with arrows.  
  
"Aaahh!" I cried out in pain as I felt the hare's blade slash across my legs painfully repeatedly before I stumbled back blood spurting into the sands. I fell towards the shallows and the hare rushed headlong after me, I held up the spear and slid towards him in a quick dash.  
  
"Oof!" He hit the spear driving it through his chest and out of his back, dark circles appeared on his tunic from the spear, I saw the other end glistening with blood in the moonlight. I looked up to find the moon wasn't white anymore, but a blood red. The hare slid down my spear, and I found another hare attacking my furiously.  
  
"You'll pay for that vermin!" I could see the fallen hare upon this new ones feature, his eyes burned with rage as his fought with a javelin furiously as I threw his relation into him and rolled to grab a fallen hares long sword. He had gotten several slashes on me and I felt the salt water burn my back and sides as I fought the hare.  
  
"Die!" Anger overwhelmed me as well as the hare as I hacked and slashed with the blade madly drawing blood from a neat slash across the chest and a final blow to the neck drove his face down in the shallows, the water swirled red and then I heard it.  
  
"Aaahhh!" A very familiar voice pierced the night air; I heard it over the chaos and madness before me, over the war cries and screams of agony. Through the bloodshed I saw her fall into the shallows twin arrows through her chest and her loving heart, silencing her.  
  
"Got him!" In my distraction I felt arrows drive their way into my chest as I fell to my knees into the shallows, I saw nothing of the battle, just her lying face down in the blood red waters bathed in the flicking light of the bonfires. I fell onto my back and blacked out the last thing I saw was a shooting arrow and the last thing I heard, the piercing scream of another casualty of this misguided battle. 


	9. 09 Conversations of Foes

*Point of view is from Meryl now* Meryl Sandpaw, healer of Salamandastron  
  
-I don't know quite what possessed me to sneak in this injured ferret into Salamandastron, if the lord finds out I'll be banished from this mountain. I find myself wondering why I'm still here; I can't take all the bloodshed around me . . . perhaps that is why I took this ferret in, to reverse the flow of blood a bit. Oh well . . . when I brought him in my friend Clarence, a definite warrior, found him and nearly slayed him as he lay unconscious, I stopped him barely and convinced him of my cause even though I'm not so sure what it is either.  
  
I've been treating the ferret for several days' known and I've bandaged the wounds on his legs and back, they've begun healing nicely and the arrow wounds have already healed. The ferret hasn't woken at all, but I've heard him mumbling incoherently a few times about someone named Celeste. Perhaps the other ferret I found him looking at, now that I think about it he looked at us the same and when I looked into Celeste's eyes I felt as if I were looking into the mirror, as if . . .-  
  
A loud knock upon the door and I put away my journal quickly hiding it behind a large bookshelf that held medicines and herbs. Clarence walked in eyeing the ferret; I could tell he barely resisted an urge to kill the ferret. His parents being killed by vermin fueled a rage that even I couldn't stop. Luckily for the ferret he suppressed it. I'd seen him during the battle shooting from the mountains high windows; every hit put a smile of satisfaction upon his features.  
  
"Has he awakened yet?" He asked, a paw always on his short sword, he always came in with it, normally no beast carried weapons for no reason inside the mountain, only guards and patrols. We tried to keep a cheery mood and weapons would hinder those feelings. He had pushed through a small curtain I'd put up so any other beast couldn't see the ferret  
  
"No." I answered emotionlessly and began checking the ferret's bandages carefully, lucky for me this was enough distraction that Clarence left without another word to me. I sat back down a jotted some notes about the ferret's condition and such; I went to my desk closing the curtain around the ferret. After a while the boredom hit me and I went back to the curtain and stepped through to find the ferret up and looking at me, straight into my eyes with his, they were bleary and unfocused.  
  
"Celeste?" He asked in a small feeble voice as I removed a small dagger from the small end table by the ferret's bed and held it defensively. I knew I couldn't bring myself to use it, but I felt better knowing he couldn't kill me. "Your not . . ."  
  
"No I'm not Celeste, my name is Meryl and your in Salamandastron, try anything and you'll be jolly well dead before you can move. I don't look it, but I could slay ye without a twitch o' my blinkin' eye." I said defensively, I knew he was injured, but I had been well taught the lesson of not trusting vermin.  
  
"No you couldn't." He smiled wryly, his eyes half closed and yet his focus remained upon my eyes, I looked into his eyes. They were dark green. Deep green, the kind that was thicker then any forest, I looked and saw nothing, no deceit, just the absence of everything.  
  
"Try me." I was frustrated by his words and held the knife close to the lifeless eyes, waving it dangerously through his whiskers so he could feel it. Suddenly he lashed out and took the blade from my hand before spinning behind me, holding it to my throat.  
  
"Isn't nice." He breathed into my ear before releasing me, I looked at in terror, I was almost sure he was cold for the lack of life in his eyes which now shone clear and focused upon me. He didn't do anything, but toss the knife back to me into the ground of the room and collapse back onto the bed asleep.  
  
I took the knife quickly and tossed it, I had fallen towards my desk, I was scared and confused, he'd grabbed me, but why hadn't he killed me, he obviously could. I peeked into the space created by the curtain nervously to find him unconscious, tongue lolling out of his mouth. I gave him a small shot of a sleeping draught and force-fed him some food, just meager rations.  
  
The next morning after breakfast I went up to my room where the ferret rested to find him up in the bed looking straight down at the floor his head between his knees. I walked in nervously and he didn't look up, but by the twitch in his ears I could tell he heard me. I stopped at my desk and drew the knife slowly from its drawer just in case.  
  
"You don't need it." He said softly, eyes still upon the floor. I looked to find a dark stain on the floor and then a single glistening tear fall to join it. I let the knife fall back into the drawer from which it came.  
  
"Who are you?" I asked keeping my distance and the knife in the still open drawer an option.  
  
"Hale. And you?" He looked up and I saw his eyes were bloodshot and glimmering with moisture. No tears fell as he looked up; his eyes were lighter, with more life in them now. I took a step towards him.  
  
"Meryl. Why did you attack my home?" I began demanding information to keep some semblance of power over Hale; we both knew I didn't really have any.  
  
"Those were Ulnan's orders. Why didn't you kill me?" He stared straight into my eyes with a powerful glare until I broke my eyes away and looked elsewhere.  
  
"I . . . I . . ." I stammered with the answer until him smiled softly.  
  
"Your just like her, you aren't a killer or a warrior. You cherish life don't you?" His question startled me, but I nodded weakly. "Both of you were peaceful beasts living amongst warriors and killers. She didn't get to leave and look what it got her."  
  
"She was the one in the water." His eyes watered as he fought back tears.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Why were you there then?" I was almost confused at seeing tears upon the face of the enemy.  
  
"I couldn't leave without her, I still can't. All I want is out of here now." He glanced around the room and focused through the curtain to the door. "I'm not a warrior either. Not in what counts at least."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"A warrior has to kill to live, they don't settle for peace. Kind of how your patrols are, at least from what I've heard." I tried to reply, but found that he was right. No wonder I felt so out of place.  
  
"I wish I could help you somehow, but I can't get you out of here today." I tried to direct the conversation elsewhere to avoid my own confusion.  
  
"Just give me some paper and a pen and I'll be fine." I did as he bade, giving him a small pen and I part of the stack of papers I was using for my journals. "Thanks." He lay back and wrote upon the paper in straight, clean letters that looked much better then my haphazard scratches upon paper.  
  
"Your welcome sir." I sat at my desk after closing the curtain and began writing in my journal, thinking of what the ferret named Hale had said, I thought about leaving my home for Redwall or some more peaceful county. And so we both sat through the day each listening to the others scratches, each our own secrets upon the sheets of paper, both overflowing with what they kept. 


	10. 10 Goodbyes

(Note: POV is still Meryl)  
  
A week passed before I was able to get the ferret out of the mountain a back onto the beach and in that week I couldn't believe it, but I actually care for the ferret. He told me his dreams, which mostly amounted to just live peacefully; he didn't care what he would be either. He could be a farmer, a traveler, smith or carpenter. In the last two he actually had the skills too as he told me his brothers had been in those types of jobs before they died. At least I figured they died for he never spoke about them after talking about the war that must of claimed them as well as having driven them from their home and onto their ill fated voyage to the western coast.  
  
"Get 'im out as soon as you can." Were Clarence's exact words as soon as he knew the ferret had woken up and because of that I found myself trusting him less and Hale much more. I had persisted to see what Hale had written, but I gave up to his constant response.  
  
"You'll see it when I gone." Then on the last day before he left for the north he'd bound the book and told me not to open it until he was long gone.  
  
"C'mon Hale lemme see it." I had asked playfully, but he was adamant. Even with this company I could feel a rift the rest of the Salamandastron hares and I as the week had progressed and then the day came when I stood upon the sand saying goodbye to my friend in the midnight hours so our archers wouldn't kill him.  
  
"Okay, before I leave I'm giving you one word of advice. Do not remember me and don't watch me leave, just get back in there and be happy." He said it in a commanding voice with a small pack of food, as much as I could without suspicion, and then he took off through the dark.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Your better off happy." He let the words hang before starting again. "Good bye Meryl."  
  
"Good bye Hale." I found myself talking to empty air as the ferret took off through the darkness north towards cold mountain peaks. I wished him luck silently and hoped for the best for both of us. Immediately remembering the writing Hale had done, I dashed to my room to find it upon his empty bed.  
  
"I'm lying across from it, a great spear into the sky . . ." It began . . . 


	11. 11 After Death

I walked across the beach; blood still stained its surface from the battle. I made my way to where I had seen my future disappear, killed by an arrow. I kneeled in the spot; tears flowed freely onto the white sand, cleaned by the forgetful ocean tides. My father had always said the sea has no memory, I wished for the tides to wash away my pain and anguish, but that wouldn't happen ever. The sea has no power really, I felt my tears join with the great sea, but no pain followed with them.  
  
I looked down the beach to find our ship gone into the sea, the mast sticking up from the waters glowing in the red light cast by the rising sun. I could see a trail of footprints, bloodstained, leading from where it had run ashore. Seeing them reminded me of the weasel, I hoped he and his sister were all right and happy, maybe there was something left here. I looked at the spot where Celeste had fallen, what would she want, what did I want?  
  
All I had ever wanted since I had woken up in the mountain was to follow Celeste, to somehow follow her to the gate of the dark forest and be at peace with her. Now I had second thoughts. I knew her well enough to know that the one thing she had always cherished was life. She wouldn't want me to join her so soon and for such a dumb reason as I wasn't strong enough.  
  
I followed the footprints into the forest, hoping to find the weasel. I knew I couldn't make it without someone; I'd never been leader. Always the follower, probably why I hadn't resisted Ulnan on the ship, tried to get him to avert his plans for the war against Salamandastron. Looking back, it hadn't even been a war; it was too short to be one, just a few blows and we had fallen. After being in the mountain I knew that they had many more beasts then us, a few times more.  
  
I looked to the mountain again, the sun had begun climbing high into the sky, bathing it in golden light giving it an almost beautiful lively feel, except for the feelings I had about it, the feeling of doom. The mountain not only stood as a defender of the shore, it stood for the lives of many beasts who were now dead and gone for the mistakes of a few, a chance happening and the inability of others to have the courage to stop it.  
  
I stood there, at the edge of the forest, about to disappear into its grasp in search of new beginnings, full of hope and weighed down with the burden of carrying the memories. I had hopes of seeing Hallan again and maybe even the hare healer, Meryl again. I hoped for her safety and happiness, I hoped she would heed my words and just keep herself well. For me the mountain stood a reminder of loss, for he it was home and all those she knew and cared about, I took out the small knife I had taken from her.  
  
She didn't need it; she cherished life and had no needs for the means to end it. She had plenty of hares to look out for her anyway; I turned to the forest and began making my way along the trail of footprints of my friend, on my way to a new horizon. Lessons of the past will guide me and with any luck I could find new happiness and some semblance of peace within myself. A last glance at the great fire mountain and I disappeared through the forest due east towards unfamiliar horizons and the future. 


	12. 12 New Horizon

(A/N- Meryl's POV)  
  
I slowly closed the journal; I never really realized what had led to the deaths of so many beasts on both sides. I mostly just felt sick at the knowledge, at lunch I'd heard about the ship being full of dead oar slaves, they'd wiped out any other beasts. I had to go see it, just to calm the thoughts about what could have happened; in Hale's journal he'd mentioned old beasts and children aboard the ship. Had they escaped, I wondered and in that moment I moved to my desk to grab my small knife so I could make the trip to the ship.  
  
"What the?" I murmured confused, the drawer was empty of the blade, in its place was small piece of paper on which was Hale's neat handwriting.  
  
"I'm sorry for taking this Meryl, but you don't need it. One who cherishes life doesn't need the means to end it. Signed your patient Hale. PS- Forget this and just be good." He had done it neatly, but towards the end there was a nervous waver that gave me some unpleasant thoughts. I tore the paper to pieces and went to the armory for a stout staff telling the guard simply.  
  
"I have to gather some herbs and the jolly lot." I said it cheerfully and he stepped aside smiling even suggesting what I should carry. "Thank you sah."  
  
"Have a jolly day miss." He saluted me and I was off to the stores grabbing food, mostly at random, sneaking a few into my mouth in the process, until I had a full haversack. I left the mountain giving the same excuse to the guards.  
  
"Got to get herbs n' wotnot." They waved me off and I began feeling sick only a few yards away, the sands were still stained from the battle and scattered thinly were the bodies of the dead. The ship that had been beached upon the shore was gone, its mast stuck up from the depths of the ocean. Shreds of the sails bobbed on the waves, light shimmered off the ocean giving me a silhouette of the ship.  
  
"You all right?" One of the hares on duty shouted as I swayed visibly.  
  
"I'm jolly good sah!" I waved as I called back and hurried off down the beach following Hale's footprints, which still seemed fresh in the bloodied sand, they seemed to stop every once in a while and then joined a set of bloodied footprints and disappeared into the forest. By now I had made my mind up, I couldn't take living at Salamandastron any longer, I couldn't take it. Every time I had looked at the hares around me, I saw those lying dead upon the beach; they had a right to live as well.  
  
I couldn't bring myself to take it now that Hale had opened my eyes; perhaps that was why he had told me to forget it so often. But I couldn't forget it, since the day of the war; the sights of the dead and wounded had dominated my thoughts and dreams. The faces passed through my mind, visibly sending chills down my spine, giving me little or no rest.  
  
I had made up my mind as I read through the pages of what Hale had written, I knew of the peaceful counties in the east and sought refuge from the fighting. I hoped I would see my new friend again, perhaps we could find some peace with each other. I wondered about the other set of footprints, were they the weasel Hale had spoken to before the ill-fated troop had engaged the badger lord's forces. I banished all thoughts and just kept one goal on my mind, to find some peace in the world. And so I set off through the woods, on my way towards a new peaceful horizon and with some luck, true happiness. 


	13. 13 Foreboding

(A/N-Possible beginning for part2 of this series, please read and review to tell me if this is a good direction, will most likely be reworked)  
  
In the foreign lands south of abbey of Redwall and even south of the former abbey of Loamhedge, sat the entrance to an ancient network of tunnels and caves built by an old community of moles as a home. The moles were long gone now and it had sat undisturbed for many years until suddenly an overflow of vermin came to the country. Discovering it, a great underground city was made upon the backs of slaves, ruled by a cruel tyrant, within the caves there were armories, prisons and all matter of homes. In one of the cells, horrid screams could be heard echoing off the walls of the cave.  
  
The mouse was hung up on a wall, chains holding him there stretched on the wall, helpless against the relentless rain of lashes from the guard. The guard monotonously lashed out with the whip, it had gone on for hours, the mouse lapse in and out on consciousness as the whip lashed, cuts covered his entire body, one lash had even gotten his eye, which was screwed shut now as blood leaked out from under his eye lid, suddenly the whip stopped, the mouse struggled to see why, but was only greeted by the blurry shape of a new form in his cell holding something in his paws.  
  
"So mouse decided to talk yet." A harsh voice asked through the darkness. The mouse felt blood flow over his body from the hundreds and perhaps thousands of cuts he'd sustained, he fought to raise his eye to the shadow of a beast. He would have talked if he could, but exhaustion had long since taken him, he found no voice to speak with and so his head fell limp. His breathing was heavy and ragged.  
  
"Should have talked earlier mouse." The catcall from a guard outside yelled into the cell with a sneer. All the guards knew what was next as in the single pane of light in the cell glinted off the metal surface of the figures metal whip.  
  
"Too late now." The figure sneered as the whipped rose through the air and cracked forward to meet the mouse's foot paw, the bones snapped with a resounding crack and the mouse found enough voice to scream, it echoed about the cell loudly as the mouse shook with pain.  
  
"Far too late." The whip flashed down again on his opposite foot paw, another crack and another resounding scream of pain. Again it came down with the same result, working its way up his bloodied legs it flashed and it came, another crack, another scream.  
  
"Have a voice now mouse?" It asked cruelly as the whip came down upon the mouse's thigh, then it stopped as the figure walked into the light. It was a tall ferret, all black with his eyes shining like lanterns in the dark with their unnerving yellow glow, he walked up to the mouse place the whip around his neck with a caring manner befitting a healer.  
  
"Want to speak now mouse?" He asked in a voice almost as if he were some old friend, he tightened the whip around the mouse's neck as it gasped for air, soft whimpers. The mouse whispered something, too low to be heard. "Going to have to say it louder then that mouse." The mouse sobbed as the steel noose tightened once again.  
  
"It's north of here . . .on the west coasts." The mouse said through sobs as tears and blood coursed down his cheeks, falling into a red puddle upon the floor.  
  
"There, now that wasn't too hard was it mousy" He shook the mouse cruelly inflicting pain on his broken limbs. The ferret walked away from the mouse before stopping the shadows just before the exit. "By the way, I'll do you a favor now since you've been so kind." With that the whip coursed up into the air and came down with a sickening crack across the mouse's neck, cruelly twisting the head.  
  
The mouse fell completely limp in his chains, a slash across his neck as small bones stood out form his flesh, he legs hung in a battered unshaped form as if two empty sacks. The ferret walked out, stopping once to order his guards. "Dispose of that. Eat it, skin it, whatever, I don't care just get it out of my sight." He paused again, "On second thought, feed it to the wolves." With that he left the chambers, disappearing down a shadowy corridor, leaving the bloody corpse of the former mouse on the wall, still dripping with blood as the pool on the floor grew.  
  
The ferret walked through the halls his cloak trailing behind him, giving off the impression of a shadow passing through the tunnels. His whip was hung over his shoulder, glinting red from blood as the scant lighting of the cave hit it, the ferret however was still savoring the taste. Almost as if he could taste the pain through the mouse's blood, he smiled at the memories as he passed by other cells, similar scenes within each with slaves huddling together in the shadows. All feared the ferret, all were broken, any warriors already long dead and plenty of slaves to take their places.  
  
The ferret moved up from the horrible scenes of the dungeon levels up into the chambers of his leader, flowing into the room dramatically he stood before him. The king, a white-furred pine martin, his personality nearly as twisted as the ferret, sat on his throne a dozen slaves about him, near every species accounted for. The martin looked up at his subordinate with a look of glee, blood was smeared over the ferret's lips from earlier.  
  
"I expect I don't have a new slave then?" He pointed out laughing deeply. The ferret laughed as well throwing his weapon before his king, after wiping the blood from his muzzle he began.  
  
"No King Duran, I afraid the warrior spirit was in that one. I did get what you wanted out of him though, it took awhile though." He smiled as he bowed low.  
  
"I'm surprised, are you losing your touch?" Duran grinned eerily.  
  
"Nay, but his spirit was strong. Took his legs for me to free his voice."  
  
"So where is it?" The king asked eagerly, kicking a slave away before standing before his great throne.  
  
"The peaceful counties are far to the north on the western coasts. I trust this is to your liking?" He stayed in his position, bowed to the king, neck craned up looking at the martin.  
  
"Yes, you have done well. Tell the troops to ready themselves, we move out on the morn." With that the king dismissed the ferret and sat back upon is great throne, a smile upon his face for the future of the northlanders. He could already taste their pain.  
  
(A/N- its not Redwall, so guess where? Heh, heh, heh . . .; ) 


	14. 14 About The Fire

(A/N- I know I'm starting off sort of shaky because I have basically no ideas right now, I have some idea that this and 'An Old Mistake' take place. Oh yeah and you'll notice this is very different from the beginning of the story, BTW in case you don't know Hale is actually pretty young in this story, I'll write a back story to explain it all someday, but for now . . .)  
  
Far from the abbey of Redwall, in a small clearing near the badger mountain of Salamandastron smoke flowed from a small fire. Any vermin who would see the scene would probably laugh at the fierce looking weasel as he held his sister lovingly, feeding her scraps of food. The weasel had his sister in one paw, a dagger in the other, his eyes were always moving about his meager camp.  
  
"Who goes there?" He demanded standing up suddenly at a noise, shielding his baby sister with his body as he held the dagger out threateningly.  
  
"Just me mate." Out stepped a ferret, a very familiar ferret walked out.  
  
"Hale!" The weasel yelled excitedly smiling at his old friend brightly. "I thought you got killed back there. Where is . . ." He cut himself off at the look in Hale's eyes.  
  
"Yeah, she's gone now." Hale's eyes watered a bit, but no tears fell, he wouldn't let any of the tears flow. It was too late for tears. Looking up he smiled back at his friend as he walked towards the weasel that had lowered his dagger in favor of his sister. "Is that yore little sis'?"  
  
"Yeah." He said awkwardly, not sure if he should be looking like the nursemaid.  
  
"She's beautiful." Hale murmured as he tickled the babe lightly drawing out a young giggle from her.  
  
"Ain't she though?" Hallan smiled brightly as he rocked his little charge, sitting down on a log, cradling her in his arms.  
  
"Yeah. So how have ye been?" Hale asked sitting down next to his friend.  
  
"Pretty good so far, food's plentiful about. Not sure where I'm goin' though." The weasel shrugged lightly and began cooing to his sister as her eye lids fluttered and closed.  
  
"How 'bouts Redwall?" Hale whispered, not wishing to wake the babe.  
  
"Redwall?" Hallan asked confusedly.  
  
"Its an abbey, I met somebeast ho told me about it." Hale explained in soft voice as the babe snored quietly.  
  
"Figured you'd say Loamhedge." Hallan shrugged again as he laid his sister down softly on hi pack that now served as her bed.  
  
"Its gone mate, Loamhedge disappeared a long time ago." Hallan looked a bit shocked by the news.  
  
"Who told you this?" Hallan demanded quietly as he stroked his sister's head fur lightly as she cooed in her sleep, eyes flicking beneath their lids.  
  
"Er . . .a hare." Hale said nervously.  
  
"A hare." Hallan stated dumbly.  
  
"Yeah." Hale replied still nervous for the response.  
  
"One of those Salamandastron hares." Shock was written all over Hallan's features as well as rage.  
  
"It was a healer." Hale tried to explain.  
  
"That's a surprise, they have healers." Hallan chuckled darkly.  
  
"She saved me, she wasn't like the rest. Hell, I even asked her to kill when she first found me." Hale said in a debating tone.  
  
"It was a hare though, the beast's that killed . . .everyone!" Hallan threw up his arms as his voice rose.  
  
"She didn't though, she was just a healer. Calm down." Hale still hadn't started yelling and jerked his thumb in the direction of the slumbering babe. Hallan glanced at his sister as he took a moment to calm himself before continuing. "We attacked them remember?"  
  
"Why are you defending them?" He asked quietly a paw on his little sister, gently massaging the babes tiny foot paws. "You didn't know did you? You didn't see it?" Hallan sat shaking images from his head.  
  
"See what?" Hale asked confused.  
  
"You didn't see what they did on the ship." Hallan shuddered visibly.  
  
"What did they do?" Still confused Hale sat down next to his friend, looking into the weasel's darkened eyes.  
  
"They slaughtered everyone." Hallan stated darkly jamming his dagger deep into the ground as he said those words, each one carrying a dark memory.  
  
"No!" Hale stood up shock written on his features.  
  
"Yes, there was one hare who was repeating an old saying. 'A dead enemy is a good enemy' something like that. I barely got us out before they swept the ship. I didn't see anyone else escape." Hallan explained, his eyes cold as the scenes cut through his mind.  
  
"I can't believe it. They did that?" Hale thought of all the young beasts and the elders that had been left on board, even the oars slaves came to mind. Hale felt a little sick as faces flowed through his mind.  
  
"They sure did, then they shoved 'er out to sea and sunk 'er with their bodies on it. So tell me now why you'd defend them." Hallan asked objectively, his eyes cold as he looked at the shocked ferret.  
  
"She's not like that . . ." Hale muttered softly feeling betrayed by himself as well as the hare maid who had saved him from death.  
  
"Who?" Hallan snorted a bit, disgusted by the ferret.  
  
"The healer. She didn't like that stuff, she . . ." Hale began only to be interrupted.  
  
"She is one of them." Hallan hissed.  
  
"She's not, she's a healer. She loves like not war." Hale finished giving the weasel a dark look.  
  
"You know what mate? Maybe yore right, but I wouldn't trust her. In a battle whose side do you think she'd choose?" Hallan observed the fallen look on Hale's face; he put a paw around the ferrets back with care . "Sorry mate, but it's the truth."  
  
"Maybe." Hale shrugged slightly and quickly banished the conversation from his mind. "So how have you been?" Hallan was startled by the amazing speed at which the conversation had changed from an argument to a casual conversation between old friends again, but he was thankful for it.  
  
"Fine mate, would you like something to eat?" He motioned to the fire that had a haversack of food in it, slowly the sun floated down into the horizon. The pair ate around the fire, talking of the better times, far in the past even though they didn't really know one another. All throughout the conversation a pair of eyes watched from the brushes around the camp. They were forest green eyes, full of tears and sorrow by the words that pierced her heart.  
  
(A/N- can anyone think of a better title for me, please?) 


End file.
